BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



                                                          SB 568
                                                          Page  1

Date of Hearing:   August 18, 1999

              ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS 
                    Carole Migden, Chairwoman

          SB 568 (Alarcon) - As Amended: May 28, 1999 

Policy Committee:                              Human  
ServicesVote:6 - 2

Urgency:     Yes                  State Mandated Local  
Program:NoReimbursable:           -

  SUMMARY  

This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction  
(SPI) to develop a strategic plan to provide for the study and  
establishment of foundations for learning and school success for  
infants and children up to six years of age, and to issue a  
report to the Legislature by July 1, 2000.  The bill states that  
the SPI may spend up to $150,000 to develop the plan.  

In addition, the bill directs the SPI to review various child  
care and development programs for CalWORKs participants, the  
working poor, early primary programs, and programs for early  
education for individuals with special needs.  

The bill also directs the SPI and the California Children and  
Families First Commission, charged with overseeing the  
expenditure of Proposition 10 funds, to assure that programs  
funded by the initiative are targeted toward success in  
elementary education, are integrated, and are not duplicative.

  FISCAL EFFECT  

The bill would result in a one-time cost of $150,000 to develop  
the required strategic plan.  In addition, there would be  
one-time costs associated with the review and evaluation of  
existing child care programs, probably in the range of $100,000  
to $150,00, and ongoing costs regarding oversight of Proposition  
10-funded programs, also in the range of $150,000 (General Fund  
- Proposition 98).

  COMMENTS  









                                                          SB 568
                                                          Page  2

      Purpose of the Bill  .  According to the author, the bill is  
     intended to address a problem highlighted by the National  
     Academy of Sciences in its examination of how to prevent  
     reading difficulties.  

 1)Related Legislation  .  AB 105 (Alquist, SB 845 (Escutia), and  
  SB 925 (Vasconcellos) require the development  of a statewide  
  child care master plan.  According to the sponsor, the Child  
  Development Policy Institute, this bill should not be confused  
  with those efforts. This bill is intended to focus on one  
  specific aspect of improving child care programs - how to  
  better prepare children in child care settings for school.
 
  Analysis Prepared by  :    William Wehrle / APPR. / (916) 319-2081